New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-23
WONEN AND BOOKS.

10 Iivre,' takes the opportunity while revlew-
ing new book entitled "Les Femmes Biblio-
phies1 to discuss the relations OF women TO
books, and frankly states, as his personal
opinion, that lovely woman looks with gen.
orally cold IL not hostile eye upon literature. In
support Of this heresy NJ. Uzanne adduces many
allegations. He says that If o married man Is
fond of buying books his wife is almost certain
to treat them as II they were objects Of legiti-
mate Jealousy. lie contends that she grudges
every dollar expended upon the library; that
she is incapable Of approaching the beauties OF
fine binding, of luminous press work, OF Japan
and other dc luxe papers. of exquisite nlustra-
tions. of all the many sources Of pleasure and
satisfaction which make up the felicity Of the
genuine bibliophile. He declares further that
women do not know how b handle or treat books /;
that they will approach hot fire with some
precious vellum binding, for example, caring
nothing If they shrink. wrinkle or even scorch it
that In laying q book down they are likely as
not to put 1t down wide open, thus endangering
the stability of the back that they drop valuable
books about indnerently to their injury.
Despite the fact, shown in the work he Is re-
viewing, that women have collected important
libraries, have established certain much-prized
styles OF binding, have patronized booksellers
and publishers, this cynic Frenchman Will not
admit that the sex has any natural tendency
toward bibliophil SIN. Women. he wickedly as
serts for the most part regard books as their
rivals. They seem to recognize in them power
which when freely exercised wealIens the potency
Of theif own charms and puts them IN the second
place instead OF tho first They no doubt somo-
times pretend to like books but this pretence Is
only means to an end 1t Is not for them
selves that tho books are taken into favor. 1t
nv he
secured. The feminine intelligence, argues III.
Uzanne. has no true literary sympathy. Women
do not derive their views OF life from books, nor
do they found their systems OF philosophy and
ethics upon tho printed word. Intuition Is their
peculiar endowment, and upon 1t they rely,
consciously or unconsciously. To talk therefore
Of female book-lovcrs. ho contends Is paradoAical
and apt to misead the thoughtlcss.
or course 1t may be said that NJ. Octave
Uzanne has experience OF his countryw omen
only and that what no says OF the relation be-
tween women and books has no applicability out
side Of France But II Is to be observed that his
indi ctment is really drawn-regardless " tho
dctum OF Burlte-not merely against whole
ma ton but against q whole sex. lie speaks, In
short, Of women generally, and he alleges that
they and all Of them are not friendly, and often
positively hostile to books. He thinks
that women cannot take books ser-
ously. so to speak. OF course they read
novels. but that no hardly counts as being
gerInane 10 the subject 1t Is wicked accusation
TO bring, and II ought TO be answered. American
women should not permit such stigma TO rest
upon their literary proclivites. They should
como forward with counter evidence, TO the con-
fusion OF the calumnious editor OF 10 Livre y
They should demonstrate tho completeness Of
their sympathy with book-colecting husbands.
brothers. fathers and cousins. They should prove
tho profundity Of their delight In tall copies and
early editions and fine bindings and all the
luxury OF the library There must be plenty OF
testimony to this effect Gttainable, though IL
mny not be easy to put ones hand on 1t Instantly
So cruel q SANDER, however, certainly ought TO
be refutcd and the only efSe ctual means Of re-
rting 1t is to show conolusively that 1t Is